reaperexpress
Senior Member
I don't think that's the same situation here. We do have some cycling laws.
From http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/pubs/cycling-guide/section5.0.shtml, here are some things that stood out to me.
HTA 147 - Slow moving traffic travel on right side
Any vehicle moving slower than the normal traffic speed should drive in the right-hand lane, or as close as practicable to the right edge of the road except when preparing to turn left or when passing another vehicle. For cyclists, you must ride far enough out from the curb to maintain a straight line, clear of sewer grates, debris, potholes, and parked car doors. You may occupy any part of a lane when your safety warrants it. Never compromise your safety for the convenience of a motorist behind you. Set fine: $85.00
The part about sewer grates is interesting, because here in Vaughan, the sewer grates stick out very far, and have usually sunk down quite far, causing a large area of cracked pavement. So if I ride far enough out to avoid them, I am riding almost in the middle of the lane. Usually what I do is ride at a reasonable distance from the curb and just check over my shoulder and move into the middle of the lane to get around big sewer sinkholes.
HTA 62(17) - Lights
A bike must have a white front light and a red rear light or reflector if you ride between 1/2 hour before sunset and 1/2 hour after sunrise and white reflective tape on the front forks and red reflective tape on rear forks. Set fine: $20.00
HTA 75 (5) - Bell
A bike must have a bell or horn in good working order. Set fine: $85.00
HTA 64(3) - Brakes
A bike must have at least one brake system on the rear wheel. When you put on the brakes, you should be able to skid on dry, level pavement. Set fine: $85.00
HTA 104 - Helmets
Every cyclist under the age of eighteen must wear an approved bicycle helmet. Parents or guardians shall not knowingly permit cyclists under sixteen to ride without a helmet. Set fine: $60.00
We do in fact have safety regulations on bikes. No one knows about HTA 75(5), and I think they would be quite angry if they got fined $85 for not having a bell. More publicity is needed here.
HTA 64(4) is strange, because being able to skid is not a sign of safety. My old bike would not skid on dry pavement because it had mountain bike sized road tires with an insane amount of grip. So I could have gotten fined $85 for that?
On a different note, my CAA driving instructor says that when you get demerit points when you don't have a license, they give you a drivers license number and put the points on that.
PS. For some reason on the MTO site, first sentences in paragraphs are not capitalized until about halfway down the page. I fixed them in my quotes.
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